In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first
obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish
away. - Hebrews 8:13
The covenant of grace is greater than the covenant of the law.
We see a clear picture of this in 1 Samuel 1, the story of the birth of
Samuel. In this story we find his father Elkanah (His name means God has created, or taken
possession) has two wives, the name of one was
Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah
had no children.
The meaning of Hannah is grace/favour and Peninnah originates
from pinnah, pinnah means bulwark (A wall or embankment raised as a defensive
fortification; a rampart), chief, corner, stay, tower. Peninnah represents the
law, the wall of separation. This is a picture of grace (God’s unmerited favor)
and law (knowledge of good and evil, covenant of the Law).
This same Peninnah had 10 sons. This is just the perfect representation of the law with the 10 commandments. On a certain day Elkanah met Hannah weeping and asked her;
"Then Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?” (1 Samuel 1:8)
I see the heart of the father speak to us here. He is better to us than any rules and laws. His Spirit in us can do perfect job compared to the law that was weak and unprofitable. The old way centered around commandments that brought fault, condemnation and a guilty conscience to the people under it's burden, the new way brought liberty, life and complete forgiveness. The ministry of the Spirit is in total contrast to the previous ministry of condemnation.
It says in 1 Samuel 1:3
that Elkanah would go up from his city yearly to sacrifice to the Lord. vs 4 And
whenever the time came for Elkanah to make an offering, he would give portions
to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. vs 5 But to Hannah he
would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, although the Lord had closed
her womb. – 1 Samuel 1:4
This is a beautiful picture of us under His grace, we
receive a double portion from God, which is firstborn blessing, the fullness of Jesus, His grace upon grace
(1 John 1:16). Under His covenant of grace we are promised a redemption that is greater than what we lost. we are placed not just as sons but placed in the firstborn son Jesus.
Zechariah 9:11-12 states;
11 “As for you also,
Because of the blood of your covenant,
I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.
12 Return to the stronghold,
You prisoners of hope.
Even today I declare
That I will restore double to you.
Notice
that Elkanah gave Hannah a double portion because he loved her, not because he
loved her more than Peninnah. God loves His grace, a picture of Jesus’ perfect
sacrifice and His finished work. God has no love for the law, the law was
chosen by man.
You will not experience God’s love under the law, you will
always try to earn it based on your obedience and merit which always fails. But
under His grace, you experience the perfect love of God because of your perfect
representative Jesus and His finished work.
The grace of God affords us the opportunity to enjoy firstborn status. That means we are entitled to all that Jesus is entitled to because we are found in Him and not in our own righteousness. Under His grace your eyes are
unveiled just like the apostle John and you are the one whom He loves, you are
in the beloved.
